I Think I Love You
by RAC
Summary: When Tara says she is leaving Sunnydale because it is too hard for her to deal with seeing Willow, Dawn decides to cast a spell to get the two witches back together. Unfortunately, the spell goes horribly wrong, and Dawn must find a way to fix things.


I Think I Love You

Dawn rushed through the house, hurriedly cleaning and taking care of a few last minute details.  She absent-mindedly wiped off the counters and threw the rag into the sink.  She glanced up at the clock.  Tara should be showing up in only ten minutes!  She ran upstairs to change her clothes, not believing that the time had passed so quickly.  She threw on a sweater over black jeans and rushed back downstairs.

"Whoa!" said Willow as Dawn bumped into her, literally.  "What's the hurry?"

"Um…" began Dawn, uncertain of what she should say.  She looked at the front door, and Willow turned to see what the younger girl found so interesting.  There was no one there, and Willow faced Dawn again.  Suddenly, Willow realized what was going on.  She smiled, but there was a hint of sadness in that smile. 

"Dawn," she began, as she reached out and patted the girl on her arm.  "It's okay.  I like the fact that you and Tara are still friends."

"Really?  So, it doesn't bother you?"

"Well, maybe a little, but that doesn't mean that I want you to stop being friends," explained Willow.  "I know that the two of you are really close, and I wouldn't want to do anything to mess up that friendship."

"Thanks," said Dawn with a huge smile.  She thought it was nice of Willow to be supportive of their friendship, even though her own relationship with Tara had ended poorly.  "She's… She's the one person I can always talk to, you know?"

"Yeah," answered Willow, remembering when she was able to say the same.

"Oh, Will, I…" began Dawn.  "I'm sorry.  I didn't mean to rub it in your face!"

"Dawn, please…" said Willow, trying to reassure Dawn.  "I don't want you to feel that you can't talk to me about her.  I know I have some things to work through, but that's between me and Tara.  It has nothing to do with you."

"Thanks," said Dawn as she hugged Willow.  "I have just never felt as comfortable and free as I do when I am around Tara.  She's the best friend I have."

Before Willow could reply, there was a knock at the door.  Dawn let out a little squeal and pushed past Willow to answer the door.  Willow sighed and went upstairs as the door opened and Tara entered the Summers' home.

Dawn sat at the table, watching Tara.  After spending the day together, they had stopped at the café in town to get something to eat.  Tara had hardly eaten anything, and wasn't saying much.  In fact, she'd hardly said more than ten words all day.  Dawn was trying to decide whether or not to ask what was wrong.  Tara looked up, saw that Dawn was looking at her, and quickly looked away. When she turned back, she saw that Dawn was smiling at her.  She tried to smile back, but the result was more of a sad grin.  Dawn's smile quickly faded, and she sighed.

"What's wrong, Tara?" Dawn asked her, after a moment of silence.

"Dawnie, you know I love you, right?" asked Tara.

"Uh-oh," replied Dawn.  "That doesn't sound good."

"Um…  It isn't."

"What's going on?" inquired Dawn.  "You have been so distant today."

"I don't know where to begin.  I am not certain how to tell you this, especially since it isn't about you…" There were tears in her eyes. 

"Wh-what is it about?" asked Dawn.  She had to take a drink then, because her throat was suddenly very dry.  It scared her to see Tara this way.

"I just want you to know that this has nothing to do with you…" began Tara.  "It's not even about Willow, really.  It's about me."

"Okay…" said Dawn, still uncertain of what was happening.  "Um… What is?"

"I'm leaving Sunnydale," said Tara.  "I am going to finish school back east."

"You're going back to your family?" asked Dawn, clearly upset.

"No…  Just back east," Tara told her.  "I need to get away from this place, and I have been accepted at a community college back there."  She was crying now. "I don't want to leave you, but I must go, for my own sanity.  I love Willow so much, and it hurts having her so close, but not the way I need her to be.  And, it is a really good opportunity for me, too.  A fresh start, after everything that has happened."

"So, you've made up your mind already?" demanded Dawn.  "You are definitely going?"

Tara opened her mouth to say something, but her voice caught in her throat.  She could only nod as Dawn stared at her in disbelief.  After a moment, Dawn turned away, and wiped a tear from her own face.  She didn't know what to do.  She wanted to yell at Tara; tell her that she had to stay, but, on the other hand, she understood what Tara wanted.  Dawn herself would love to be able to get away from Sunnydale for a while.  She turned back to Tara.

"Isn't there anything that can change your mind?" she asked.

"I don't think so, Dawnie," Tara said.  "I can't see Willow and I getting back together any time soon, and it is just too much for me to deal with, seeing her all the time, and not being able to actually be with her."

"Oh…  Well, I am not happy that you are going to be gone, and I am certainly going to miss you, but… We'll keep in touch, right?" asked Dawn.

"Of course!" cried Tara.  "I'll call as soon as I get there, and let you know where I'm staying…  Plus, there's the Internet.  We can e-mail each other."

"Every day?" Dawn inquired.

"Yes," said Tara, fighting back a sob.  "Every day."

With that, they hugged and headed home.  Tara was in much better spirits, thinking that Dawn had truly accepted the news.  Dawn, however, was trying to work out a way to get Willow and Tara back together.  She decided that she would talk to Willow when she got home, and see what they could come up with.

"Will?" asked Dawn as she stood in the doorway.  Willow was lounging on her bed, reading.

"Yeah, Dawn?" she said, without even looking up.

"Remember when you said I could talk to you…" the younger girl asked.  "About Tara, I mean?"

"Of course," said Willow as she put her book down.  She looked up to see Dawn still standing in the doorway.  "What is it?  What's wrong?"

"Um…" stammered Dawn. "I'm not sure how to begin."

"Well, come in and sit down," said Willow, suddenly more concerned.  "Take your time.  It's okay.  Really."

"It's just that…" began Dawn.  She took a deep breath, looked up into Willow's eyes, and tried to continue:  "Today…"

"Dawn?  What is it?  Did Tara do something to you?" Willow was starting to get really worried.

"Oh!  No!" exclaimed Dawn.  "Never!" 

"Well, then, what is it," asked Willow.

"She…  She just… She said she is planning to leave Sunnydale," explained Dawn.  "And… I don't want her to go…  That's all."

"What?" shrieked Willow.  Then, calming herself, she continued:  "She is leaving?  Where is she going?"

"Back east.  She said she has all these plans, to continue college…  Away from here."

"Back with her family?" Willow was horrified.  She couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"No.  She said she wasn't going to be with them, just…" said Dawn, trying to decide how to phrase what she wanted to say next. "Just away from us.  I was hoping…" Dawn suddenly grew very quiet.  Willow looked at her for a few moments, waiting to see if she was going to continue.  When she didn't, Willow spoke.

"What?  What were you hoping?"

"I was hoping that you could talk to her, and convince her to stay.  She said…" Dawn suddenly stopped, not sure if she should say anything more.  The look on Willow's face told her that the older girl didn't understand what Dawn was trying to say.  "She said that you were part of the reason she was leaving.  Because, you know…  You aren't together anymore."

"She said that?" asked Willow.  Then, she cleared her throat.  "I mean…  I don't know, Dawn.  I am not sure either of us is ready to give our relationship another try.  I have given up magic, but it hasn't been easy.  Being around her may tempt me, and then we would be back in the same situation, only it will be worse, because it would be the second time.  I don't think we would be able to salvage anything if we were to go through this again."

Dawn just sat there, looking at Willow.  Tears formed in her eyes, and she did nothing to stop them from rolling down her cheeks.  She was losing one of the people she cared the most about, and it didn't look as though Willow even cared.  Willow reached out and touched Dawn's arm.  The younger girl drew away from her.

"Dawn…  I…  I am sorry, but… I can't interfere in Tara's life anymore.  I've messed things up enough." 

Dawn pushed Willow away and jumped off the bed.  With tears streaming down her face, Dawn turned to look at Willow one last time. She stared at the witch with a look of disgust that hit Willow like a slap in the face.

"Dawn, wait!" called Willow as Dawn left the room.  Willow stood up to follow her, but Dawn slammed the door in her face.  Willow sat back down on the edge of the bed.  She put her head in her hands and cried.

Buffy heard a door slamming upstairs as she entered the house.  She looked up the stairs to find Dawn entering her bedroom, and slamming the door behind her.  Obviously, something had happened between Dawn and Willow.  Buffy hesitated.  Should she even get involved?  It was hard for her to decide these things, since Dawn was acting so… different.  She looked up to the ceiling and silently wondered how her mom had managed to take care of two daughters.

Finally, she decided that she would go upstairs, and ask Willow what was going on.  That way, Dawn would never have to know that Buffy was even considering becoming involved.  She climbed the stairs and stood at Willow's door, about to knock.  That's when she heard Willow crying.  Buffy looked over to Dawn's door, now convinced that something major had happened.  She tapped lightly on the door.

"Dawn? Is that…" came Willow's voice.  Then, as the door opened, Willow stopped.  "Oh.  Hi, Buffy."  Willow stepped away from the door, deciding to let Buffy choose what would happen next.  She sat on the bed again and waited to see what Buffy would do.

"Will…  I'm worried about Dawn.  Wh-what happened here?"

"I told Dawn that I wouldn't interfere with Tara's plans to leave Sunnydale.  I don't think that Tara or I could handle that right now.  I…" she started crying again, and Buffy walked over and sat beside Willow, wrapping her arms around her.

"It's okay.  I realize that it must be difficult for you, seeing your ex spending so much time with Dawn, and then Dawn coming to you for…"  Buffy stopped, gently pushed Willow back, and looked into her face.  "What exactly was she wanting?"

"She told me that Tara is planning to leave Sunnydale, and that I am the reason.  Or, part of the reason, anyway" explained Willow.  "She wants Tara and I to get back together, so that Tara won't leave.  I want to get back with Tara, but…  I don't know if I can resist the temptation of magic if we get back together so soon.  I told Dawn, but I guess she doesn't understand."

"Oh."  Buffy was at a loss for words.  She had no idea what she should do next.  She knew that Tara and Dawn had grown very close, but she wasn't aware that it was driving a wedge between Dawn and Willow.  "I'll go and talk to her.  And, who knows?  Maybe I can help."

"I'm not sure anything will help right now," said Willow.

"Well, just let me try, okay?" Buffy asked as she got up and left the room.  Willow stood up and closed the door again.  Buffy stepped up to Dawn's door and knocked.  There was no answer.  She knocked again, a little bit louder.  There was nothing but silence.

"Dawn?  Are you alright?" she asked.  The door opened, revealing Dawn.  Her face was red, and there were still tears streaming down her face.  There was a look of anger on her face, and she had her pillow in one hand, pulled back behind her as if she were about to throw it at the door.  When she saw Buffy, she dropped the pillow and looked a little embarrassed.

"Buffy?" she asked.  "I'm sorry.  I…  I thought it was Willow."

"What's going on between you two?"

"Nothing," Dawn replied sullenly.  "I asked her for help, and she refused."

"Dawn… I don't think you are being fair," explained Buffy.  "Did she give a reason why she wouldn't help?"

"Well, yes," said Dawn. "But…"

"But what?"

"But, it isn't fair!" screamed Dawn.  "All she has to do is get back together with Tara, and then Tara won't leave!  She said she wants to be with Tara, so why can't she just go and tell _Tara_ that?  Then, everyone would be happy!"

"Dawn, you know that isn't how it works.  Willow and Tara broke up because of Willow using so much magic.  Now that Willow has given up magic, she doesn't want to be exposed to it on a daily basis.  She is afraid that she will give in to the temptation, and end up in a worse situation than she is already in."  Buffy reached out and gently took hold of Dawn's arm.  "If that happened, perhaps it wouldn't be just your arm that got messed up."

"Oh… I didn't realize…" said Dawn as she dropped her gaze to the floor.  "I didn't think about the magical aspects of it.  It's just…  I need Tara!  She's the best friend I have.  She seems to understand me better than anyone else.  When she told me that she was planning to move away, I couldn't accept it.  She said she has to get away from here, because seeing Willow all the time hurts her.  I don't want her to hurt.  I don't want Willow to hurt, either.  And, most of all, I don't want Tara to leave."

"I don't want any of those things either, but…  You can't expect Willow and Tara to get back together just for you.  They have to do it for themselves, and only when or if the time is right.  Right now, they aren't able to be together, and if you try to force them into something they aren't ready for, then you will only make things worse.  Willow knows this, and that's why she won't do it," explained Buffy.

"So, I just have to let Tara leave?" Dawn asked.  She shook her head violently. "No!  I won't do that!  She's my _best friend_!  I can't just let her leave!"

"No.  I didn't mean that you had to just let her go."  Buffy thought back to when Angel left.  They were lovers, as well as friends, but she still remembered how much it hurt to lose him.  "Just…"  Buffy was at a loss for words.  She had no idea what she could say to help make things better.  Then, she got an idea.  "Maybe you could find some other way of convincing her to stay."

"Oh…  Well, I'll try."

"Good," said Buffy as she pulled Dawn close in a hug.  "See?  It isn't as bad as you think.  Just talk to Tara again, and see if there is some other way to work things out."

"Okay.  Thanks."

Buffy left Dawn's room, and headed to her own.  She was tired, and wanted to go to bed.  After she had walked into her room, Spike shut the door.  Buffy turned to face him.  He smiled at her and raised his eyebrows.  She rolled her eyes and stepped back as he reached out to grab her.  He stopped, and examined her.  She stood where she was, trying to decide what she should do next.  Half of her wanted him gone, anywhere but in her room.  The other half wanted him to spend the night, even though she knew it wasn't a good idea.

"What?" he asked her.

"Uh…  Huh?" she asked.  She had no idea what he was talking about.  The longer she looked at him, the more she wanted him.  He stepped closer to her, and she prayed that he would embrace her, while a voice in her mind screamed at her to move away.  He smiled and reached toward her.  She was fighting with herself, trying to decide whether or not to allow this to happen. 

"Are you gonna ask me to stay?" he asked.  She shook her head violently.

"Yes!" she hissed, her mouth speaking for itself.  He leaned in to kiss her as his hand cupped the back of her head.  There was a knock at the door, and Buffy quickly moved to the side, pushing Spike away.  He hit the wall behind the door.

"Buffy?  Is everything okay?"  It was Willow!  Buffy grabbed Spike and threw him into the closet.  Then she opened the bedroom door.  Willow was standing there, with Dawn behind her.  Both looked concerned.  Dawn was trying to look into the room, around Willow and Buffy.

"Um…  Yeah.  I am okay…  Just clumsy.  Must be the fatigue.  I fell against the wall, while I was trying to get my shoes off."

"You're still wearing both of your shoes," said Willow.

"Yeah…  I wasn't able to get them off yet.  I need to get to sleep.  That's all."

"Are you sure?" asked Dawn.

"Yes!  I am okay.  I just need to get some sleep before I go patrolling tonight!"  Buffy realized that she was screaming, and closed her mouth.  She looked at the two girls standing before her.  "I'm sorry.  It's just been a really bad day, and I need to get some sleep.  Honestly.  Everything is going to be fine."

"Okay, then…  If you're sure," said Willow.  There was a hint of doubt in her voice, but she turned around and walked away.  Dawn stared at Buffy for another moment, and then she turned away, also. 

"Willow, wait…  I need to apologize," Dawn called as she went to Willow's room.

Buffy closed the door, and then leaned against it, sighing.  She stepped over to the closet and opened the door.  Spike was gone!  Buffy looked around, wondering where he could be, then finally decided he must have gone out through the window while she was talking to Willow. After closing the door to the closet, she sat on her bed and took her shoes off.  She was half relieved and half devastated.  The rest of her preparations for bed were done in a robot-like trance, and as she lay down on the bed, she wondered if Spike would return. She hadn't been lying about being tired, though, and fell asleep before she had time to think about what she would do if he did return.

"Tara!" called Dawn as she spotted her friend.  She raised her arm and started waving frantically.  Tara smiled and waved back before heading over to her.

"What's up?" asked Tara.

"Well, I was thinking about what you said.  You know, about you leaving Sunnydale," said Dawn.  "I was just wondering…"

"What?"

"Is there anything that can make you stay?" asked Dawn.  "Anything at all?"

"I'm afraid not, Dawn," said Tara.  "I…  It would just be…  I am _so_ sorry, Dawn.  The last thing I want to do is hurt you, but…"

"But you have to do what is best for you," concluded Dawn.

"Yeah," agreed Tara.  "So, you really do understand?"

"Yes.  I do," Dawn told her.  "I don't like it, but I do understand.  I do have one more question, though."

"What?" asked Tara.

"How long do you think it will be before you go?" inquired Dawn.

"I have my last class on Friday afternoon.  I will spend the rest of the day finishing up anything else that I need to do here at school.  Then, on Saturday, I…  I am taking an early flight," explained Tara.

"Oh," said Dawn.  "Well, can I come see you on Friday, then?"

"I don't know.  I am not sure what all I have to do," Tara told her.  Then, she looked at Dawn.  "But…  I am sure I can find some time for you."

"Great!  I'll see you on Friday, then!" exclaimed Dawn as she hugged Tara.  She reached up and pulled a couple of strands of Tara's hair out and pulled back.  "Oh!  Sorry.  I…  I guess I was just a little excited."

"It's okay," said Tara.  "But, right now, I have to get to my next class.  Let me give you some advice, okay?"

"Of course."

"When you get to college, whatever you do, _do not_ sign up for any classes that are held in the evening!  It isn't as nice as it sounds."

"Okay," said Dawn, laughing a little.  "I will be sure to remember that."  She watched as Tara turned and made her way through the crowd.  When Tara was out of sight, Dawn turned and started her walk back to town.  She wanted to go to the magic shop and get the rest of the things she needed for her spell.

"It's great that you came, Xander," said Anya.  "But, why are you suddenly so willing to help me?"

"What?  Can't a guy offer to help his fiancée without having a hidden agenda?" Xander asked.

"Not that I'm aware of," said Anya.

"Look," began Xander.  "I just wanted to…  You know…"

"Make up for casting that spell?" asked Anya.

"Well, yeah.  Mostly," admitted Xander.

"Okay.  Fine," said Anya.  "I will let you help me.  There was a large delivery this morning, and I really could use some help moving all the boxes around."  Xander gave her a look that indicated that her plans were not exactly what he had in mind.  She smiled.  "Just kidding!"

"No you weren't!" accused Xander.  "You were totally serious!"

"No, I wasn't," Anya assured him.  "Buffy and Giles are already dealing with that delivery.  I just said it because I love to see that look on your face."

"What look?" Xander demanded.

"That one you always get when you think you are going to have to prove your worth to me," answered Anya.

"What are you talking about?"

"Never mind, honey," said Anya as she patted him on his shoulder.  "The point is that you are here to help.  So, you are actually going to have to do something helpful.  Um…" She surveyed the room and found a small box of odds and ends behind the counter.  "Oh!" she exclaimed.  "You can put these things back where they belong.  Some people come in and bring things to the counter that they don't really want to buy.  I shove them all in this box until I have time to put them back where they belong.  But, I really don't like doing that, so you can.  Here."

"Uh…  Thanks," said Xander as he accepted the box that was so unceremoniously shoved into his hands.  "I'll get right on it."  He turned then and started sorting through the items in the box.  Then, he headed over to the shelves and began putting things back where they had been.  Or, at least in containers with things that looked similar.  He was no herbalist, and had no idea what some of those things were.  He had only gotten about halfway through the box when Dawn came in.

"Hey, everyone," Dawn called.

"Hello," replied Xander.

"And, what are you here to do?" asked Anya.

"Uh," began Dawn.

"She can help me," Xander said quickly.  Anya turned to face him.  "Well, she knows this stuff better than I do.  It will get done faster, and better, with her helping me."

"Okay.  You have a point," Anya told him.  Then, she turned back to Dawn.  "You can help him."

"Good," said Dawn.  She rushed over to Xander's side and looked into the box.  "What is all of this?" she asked.

"Things that people brought to the register and then didn't buy," explained Xander.

"Oh.  Okay."  She looked up at Xander.  "Don't worry.  I'll take care of the rest of this."

"Thanks," he said, smiling.  He gave her a hug.  "You have no idea how lost I was.  Why aren't these things marked better?"

"I don't know," said Dawn as she reached into the box.  She pulled something out, examined it, and then surveyed the shelves.  She nodded as she reached up to grab a bottle.  She uncorked the bottle, put the item from the box inside it, and then corked it again.  After she had placed the bottle back on the shelf, she reached into the box and pulled out something else.  Xander watched her, surprised at how quickly and easily she recognized things.  Then, he turned and went over to the register with Anya.

Once he was engaged in conversation with Anya, Dawn started moving a bit slower.  She was looking for the things she needed, while still trying to get through the items in the box.  She was relieved when Anya and Xander went in the back room, to check on Buffy and Giles.  As soon as Dawn was alone in the front room, she hurriedly started pulling the various containers from the shelves, putting small amounts of their contents into little plastic bags.  Then, she hurriedly shoved the other items back onto the shelves, not paying too much interest to where they went.  She hoped that Anya wouldn't be checking on her work too thoroughly.

When Anya and Xander returned from the back room, Dawn was putting the last item from the box into its correct container.  She looked up at them and smiled as she placed the jar back onto the shelf.  Then, she picked the box up and carried it over to the register.  She set it on the counter and turned to face Anya.

"Well, that box is done.  What else have you got?" she asked.  Just then, Buffy and Giles came in.

"Dawn, have you done your homework?" Buffy asked.

"Not yet," answered Dawn.  "I haven't really had any time to work on it yet."

"Then what are you doing here?" 

"I just came to see if I could help.  And, I did help," said Dawn.

"Go home and do your homework" Buffy told her.  "We can't have you failing."

"Yes, Buffy," said Dawn.  She hoped they believed that she was disappointed.  The truth was, she was thrilled to have an excuse to leave.  She grabbed her backpack and slung it over her shoulder.  Then, with shoulders sagging and head down, she left the shop.  As soon as she was outside, she quickened her pace and headed for home.

Dawn opened the door to her bedroom and made sure that no one was around.  Then, she pushed the door shut again and turned her attentions to the items on her bed.  She quickly scanned the book, making sure that she had everything she would need.  Using a bag of red sand, she carefully spread the sand on the floor, creating the design that the book specified.  Then, she grabbed the white candles and set them in their places, lighting each one after she was certain it was placed exactly where she needed it to be.

Taking the cauldron she had borrowed from Willow's room, she began adding the necessary ingredients for the spell as she chanted the words that were in the book.  She managed to work it so that she added the final ingredient just as she finished the incantation.  There was a puff of pink smoke, and the room was suddenly filled with the scent of roses.  Dawn smiled and stood up.  She had to get things cleaned up before anyone else came home.

"Good morning, everyone!" Willow said as she came down the stairs.  Buffy looked up at her, wondering why the witch was in such a good mood.  Dawn just smiled.  She was certain her plan would work.  The spell was easier than she had anticipated, and judging from Willow's behavior this morning, it was a complete success.

"I have to get to school," Dawn said cheerily.

"Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?" asked Buffy.

"Funny," replied Dawn as she rolled her eyes.

"Now, _there's_ the sister I know," Buffy joked, smiling broadly.

"I am just in a really good mood this morning.  That's all," explained Dawn.

"Well, okay," said Buffy as she looked over to Willow.  "It seems to be going around."  She shook her head.  "I'll drive you to school," she told Dawn.  Then, as an afterthought, she turned to Willow and added: "Can I drop you somewhere?"

"Not today," Willow responded.  "But thanks for the offer."

"Okay, if you're sure," replied Buffy.  Willow nodded, and so Buffy and Dawn left the house and headed for school.  Buffy was very quiet in the car, and Dawn almost asked her what was wrong, but wasn't sure she wanted to hear the answer, so she just kept her mouth shut.

"I'll see you later," said Dawn as she got out of the car.  Buffy just sat there, staring at the road in front of her.  "Buffy?" Dawn asked.

"Oh," said Buffy as she jumped and turned to face Dawn.  "Sorry.  Guess I am just a little preoccupied.  What were you saying?"

"I just said that I would see you later," replied Dawn.

"Oh, yes.  Of course.  Did you need me to come get you after school?" asked Buffy.

"That's okay," answered Dawn.  "I can make it on my own.  Thanks, though."

"Alright," said Buffy.  "Oh!  And, since it is Friday, I suppose you have plans?"

"Yeah," replied Dawn.  "I am going to go visit with Tara before she leaves."

"Okay, then.  Well, you better get inside. I'll see you later," said Buffy as she started driving away.  Dawn barely had time to close the door.

"What's up with her?" Dawn wondered as she stared after the fleeing car.

"Hello, Willow!" exclaimed Anya when the witch entered the magic shop.

"Hi, Anya!  How are things today?" Willow asked.

"Boring.  Haven't had a single customer yet, and Giles hasn't even shown up, either.  I don't know what is going on," explained Anya.

"Well, I am here to help.  What should I do?"

"Hmm…  I don't know if you will be interested in it or not, but there is some stuff in the basement that needs to be inventoried.  We got that big shipment in yesterday, and…"

"Oh," said Willow.  "That's fine.  What all will I have to do?"

"It's pretty simple, really.  I made a chart, and all you have to do is fill in the blanks," said Anya as she reached into a drawer beside the cash register.  She pulled out a clipboard with some papers clipped to it.  She walked around the counter and handed it to Willow.  As Willow reached for it, Anya let go.  It fell to the floor, and both girls immediately knelt down to pick it up, banging their heads together in the process.

"Ow!" cried Anya.

"Sorry," apologized Willow.  The two of them stared into each other's eyes.

"It's okay," said Anya as she grabbed the clipboard.  She and Willow grabbed hold of each other, each using the other for support as they stood up.  The bell above the door rang, and they turned to see who had come in.

"Good morning," said Giles.

"Giles!" exclaimed Anya.  "I am so glad that you are here!"

"You are?" asked Giles.  It was obvious from the tone of his voice that he was suspicious.  "And, why would that be?"

"Because, I need you to watch over the store while Willow and I go downstairs and inventory all of the things we got delivered yesterday," explained Anya.  Willow looked at Giles and just nodded.

"Okay," said Giles, still suspicious of what was going on. "I suppose I could do that."

"Great!" exclaimed Willow.

"Thanks!  We'll be downstairs if you need us," said Anya.  Then, before Giles could say anything else, Willow and Anya went to the basement, leaving Giles standing in the middle of the shop, wondering what had just happened.

"Spike," said Buffy as she rushed into his crypt.

"Spike isn't here," said Clem.

"Oh.  Well, do you know where he is?" Buffy asked.

"Um…" said Clem as he thought about it.  "No.  He didn't really say where he was going.  Sorry."

"Oh.  Well," began Buffy.  "That's okay.  I…  I'll look for him somewhere else, I guess.  If he comes by, could you tell him I was here looking for him?"

"Sure," replied Clem.  "Oh!  Hey!  You wanna stay and wait for him?  He could be back at any moment, and…  I could really use the company."

"Uh…" said Buffy.  She didn't want to hurt Clem's feelings, but at the same time, she wanted to go out and find Spike.  "I…  Okay.  I can wait for a few minutes, anyway.  But, if he isn't here pretty soon, I will have to go look for him, okay?"

"That's fine," said Clem, obviously in a better mood.  Buffy looked around, searching for something to do.  Clem saw her looking around.  "You want to sit?  You can have the good chair," he told her as he reached out and grabbed her arm, steering her toward the chair.

"That…" began Buffy, prepared to protest.  Then, she looked at Clem again, and changed what she was about to say.  "That would be great.  Thanks."

Giles was surprised by the amount of business the shop was doing.  He knew that Anya had been bored by the lack of business that morning, but shortly after she and Willow had gone to the basement, a group of people came into the shop.  Together, they spent more than a thousand dollars, and since then, Giles had barely had time catch his breath between sales.  He sighed as he heard the door open yet again.

"Hey, Giles," said Xander.  Giles looked up and smiled.

"Xander!  How great to see you!" he said.

"Um…  Are you under a spell or something?" Xander asked.  "You are never glad to see me."

"Well, I am certain that is not true," said Giles, defending himself.

"Sure.  Whatever.  So, where is Anya?"

"She's in the basement, doing inventory," explained Giles.

"Uh…  Perhaps I will stay up here.  Do you need any help?" asked Xander.  Giles smiled again, nodding.

"Oh, yes!  Thank you!  I need someone to help me.  It has been a real mad house here today!" exclaimed Giles as he finished yet another sale.  He handed Xander the box beside the counter, and Xander sighed.  Then, he took the box and headed off to the shelves. While he was on his way over to a set of shelves, Tara came in. 

"Hi, Xander.  Hi, Mr. Giles," she said casually as she made her way to the register.

"Hello, Tara," responded Giles.  "What brings you here?"

"Oh, I am supposed to meet Dawn later today," explained Tara, "and I was hoping I could talk to Buffy for a minute first.  Is she here?"

"Not that I know of," replied Giles.  "But, I may have missed her.  It has been a very busy day."

"Really?  Is there anything I can do to help?" asked Tara.  Before Giles had a chance to reply, Xander was standing at Tara's side.  He smiled as he held up the box of rejected items.

"You could help me put these things away," he said quickly.  Tara smiled.

"Okay, let's go," she told him.  The two of them wandered off to put things away, leaving Giles standing at the register before a line of customers.  He sighed deeply and then rang up the next customer.

"Clem, I can't find Buffy," said Spike as he climbed up into his crypt.  He stood there looking at the scene in front of him, his jaw hanging loosely.  He couldn't believe what he was seeing.  Buffy gave him an awkward smile, and Clem's smile was as wide as it could be.  Buffy pulled her shirt from the pile of clothing on the floor and used it to cover herself as best she could.

"Hi, Spike," she said.

"W-what is going on here?" asked Spike.

"We're in love," explained Buffy.  Then, she added: "Don't be mad.  It wasn't something we planned.  It just sort of…  happened."

"What?  How?" asked Spike.

"That the thing about love," said Clem.  "You never know when or why it will happen.  It just sort of does."  He turned then and looked at Buffy.  Buffy smiled again and pulled his face closer to hers, kissing him.  Spike backed away, appalled.  He threw a blanket over himself and ran from the crypt.

Dawn waited for the last bell to ring.  She couldn't believe she was going to be spending the rest of the day with Tara.  She quickly gathered her things and threw them into her locker.  She slammed the door to her locker and then went outside, ready to walk to the campus. She was surprised to see Xander waiting for her.  He opened the passenger door to his car, and motioned for her to get in.

"I-I'm supposed to be going to Tara's," she said, not sure what was going on.

"I know," said Xander.  "I was headed over there myself, and thought you might like a ride.  You'd get there quicker that way than by walking, right?"

"Yeah.  I suppose so," said Dawn as she climbed into the car.  Xander shut the door for her and went around to the driver's side.  After pulling out of the school parking lot, he turned to face her.

"So, you excited about spending a little time with Tara tonight?" he asked.

"Oh, yes.  I have been looking forward to it for the last few days.  I am haven't been able to spend a lot of time with her lately, and this will be a great opportunity for us to just sit and talk," replied Dawn.

"Yeah," agreed Xander.  "That makes sense.  Well, I need to get a couple of books that she borrowed from The Magic Box.  Anya is doing an inventory, and is demanding that they be returned."

"Ah.  I was wondering why you were going over there," said Dawn.

"You know how Anya gets when it comes to that shop," said Xander.

"Oh, yeah.  I know," agreed Dawn.  The rest of the drive was silent, but Dawn wasn't too concerned, it wasn't all that long.  When they got to Tara's dorm, Xander walked Dawn to Tara's room.  After getting the books from the shop, he left.  Tara then turned her attention to Dawn.

"Can I get you something to drink?  I don't have a whole lot, but I am sure we can find something," said Tara.

"That's okay," said Dawn as she looked around the room.  She smiled and then turned back to Tara.  "You aren't packed.  Does that mean you aren't leaving tomorrow after all?"

"Yup," said Tara, smiling.  "I just couldn't leave tomorrow.  Not after what happened today, anyway."

"That's what I thought," said Dawn.  Then, when she saw the look on Tara's face, she added: "I mean, because you hadn't packed anything, is all.  I figured something must have changed your mind."  She went over and hugged Tara.  "I am so glad that you aren't leaving."

"Oh, I am still going to be leaving," said Tara.  "I just wanted to wait so that Xander and I could leave together."

"You and…  And Xander?" asked Dawn.

"Yeah.  We're in love!" exclaimed Tara.

"What?  This is just a joke, right?" demanded Dawn.

"No joke," said Tara.  "Xander and I are in love.  I wasn't expecting it to happen, but earlier today, when I was helping him at the magic shop…  I don't really know what happened.  I mean, we were just putting things away, and then, I grabbed his hand, to stop him from putting carnation petals in the same jar as the rose petals…  Our eyes met, and…  I don't know why, but we both just knew that we were in love.  So, now I am going to wait until next weekend, when Xander can go with me."

"No," whispered Dawn as she dropped to her knees.  She was having trouble breathing.  Tara knelt beside her.  Dawn could feel Tara's arm on her back, but when she looked at Tara, she seemed to be very far away.  "I don't understand," she whispered to herself.

"Dawn?" shrieked Tara as she tried to get a hold of her.  She was kneeling beside Dawn, wondering what she should do.  She saw Dawn's lips moving, but couldn't tell if the younger girl was actually speaking.  "Are you okay?"

"I…  I don't think so," said Dawn.

"Giles," said Spike as he burst into the magic shop.  "We have to talk!  There is something very strange going on here."

"When isn't there something strange going on, Spike?" asked Giles in a very sarcastic voice.  He wasn't ready to deal with Spike, especially when the store still had a couple of customers in it.  It really surprised him, however, when Spike grabbed his arms and twisted him around until the two of them were staring into each other's eyes.

"I said, something strange is-" Spike started.  Then, his voice softened as he changed the subject:  "You know, you have very beautiful eyes."

"I was going to say the same thing about you, William," said Giles as he reached up and brushed some stray hairs from Spike's forehead.

"You wanna get out of here? Go some place a little more… Private?" asked Spike.  Giles nodded, then looked around.  There were a lot of people staring at the two of them.  Giles carefully pushed Spike away from himself and turned to address the crowd.

"Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause, but we are closing now.  Please bring all your final purchases to the register now, or get out.  I mean, or leave the shop," he said as he made his way tot he door and flipped the sign from "open" to "closed."  He had only made it halfway back to the register when he heard the door open again.  "We're closed!" he screamed.

"It's okay, Giles," said Xander.  "I am just returning those books from Tara.  And…  Just out of curiosity, why is the store closed so early?"

"Do you want to run it?" demanded Giles as he started ringing up another customer.

"Of course not!" said Xander.  "I was just wondering why it was being closed so early."

"Well, Anya has disappeared, and I…" began Giles.  He cast a glance at Spike, who smiled at him.  Then, Giles returned his attention to Xander, saying, "I have a pressing matter that I need to tend to…  As soon as possible.  Since you are the only other person here who might possibly be able to work the register, that leaves it to you.  Do we close the shop, or are you going to run this register?"

"I guess we close the shop.  I don't even want to know what Anya would say if she found me trying to run the register.  That's a lecture I am sure I don't want to hear," said Xander.  He then looked around, and saw that there were only a couple of other people in the shop, one of whom was Spike.  Xander walked over and asked what he was doing there.

"I came to get Giles," explained Spike.  "We have a… um…  Situation that needs to be handled, and it is rather…  pressing."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" asked Xander.  Spike looked him up and down, and smiled.

"Thanks, but…  I think we've got it covered," said Spike.

"Okay.  Whatever," said Xander.  "Maybe I will go check on Tara and Dawn, then."

"You do that," said Spike.  And, at that time, Giles walked up to them. 

"Are you ready to go, Spike?" asked Giles.  Without saying anything, Spike turned and, throwing his blanket over his head, he left the shop, with Giles following him.  Xander looked around at the empty shop, shrugged his shoulders, and left.

"This can't be happening," Dawn said. 

"What?  Did you say something?" asked Tara as she handed Dawn a glass of water.

"Uh, no.  I didn't say anything," Dawn told her.  Dawn was about to say something else when there was a knock at the door.  Tara went and answered it.  Xander strolled into the room, swept Tara up in a hug, and kissed her.  Tara wrapped her arms around him and returned the kiss.  Dawn felt sick to her stomach.  "Uh, hello?  Minor in the room," she said.

"Oh, yeah, like this is something you haven't seen before," said Xander as he released Tara. 

"It's not that," said Dawn.  "It's just…"  She didn't know what to say to finish that sentence, so he didn't even try.

"I don't think she's feeling very well," Tara told Xander.  Xander frowned and looked at Dawn.  Dawn, suddenly more self-conscious than ever, tried to smile, but failed miserably.

"You don't look so good," Xander observed.  "Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"I…  I don't think so," said Dawn.  Then, she looked at Tara.  "But…"

"Yes?" inquired Tara.  "What is it?"

"I was just wondering if…" began Dawn.  "I mean, I know we were supposed to spend the night together and all, but…  Would you be too upset if I just went home?"

"Oh, Dawnie!  Of course I wouldn't be upset!" exclaimed Tara.  "And, since I am not leaving tomorrow, maybe we will get another chance to spend some time together."

"Great.  Thanks.  I… I'm sorry about all of this," Dawn said.  Then, she looked up at Xander.  "C-Could you take me home?  Please?"

"Sure," said Xander.  Then, he looked at Tara and asked:  "Would you like to ride along?"

"Okay," she answered.

Once they were in the car, with Tara in the passenger seat and Dawn trying to lie down in the back, they headed to the Summers house.  When they had stopped at a red light, Tara and Xander started making out.  Dawn sat up quickly and stared at them, completely shocked by their behavior.  She cleared her throat, but they just kept at it.  Finally, she couldn't stand it anymore.

"How's Anya?" she asked, a little too loudly.  Tara and Xander jumped, as if they had forgotten that Dawn was even in the car with them.

"Dawn!" exclaimed Tara.

"Yeah, I am still here," Dawn said.  "So, I guess you got over Willow pretty quickly, huh?"  Tara recoiled as though she had been slapped.  She let go of Xander and moved away from him.  Dawn turned her attentions to Xander.  "And, what about Anya?  I thought she was your girlfriend?"

"Anya?" asked Xander.  "She's in a relationship with Willow."  Tara acted a little surprised, but then she smiled.

"Really," Tara asked.

"Yeah," said Xander.  "That's why Giles was in charge of the shop today.  Because Anya and Willow were in the basement making out.  Of course, he thinks that they were doing inventory, but he obviously never went down there to check on them, like I did."

"This…  This doesn't make any sense at all!" exclaimed Dawn.  She reached up and held her head in her hands.

"Are you sure you are going to be okay?" asked Tara, obviously worried.

"I don't know," whispered Dawn.  "Just…  Take me home, please."

"Of course," said Xander as he returned his attention to the road.

"What do we do now?" asked Clem.

"Unfortunately, "I have to go patrolling.  Hey!  Why don't you come with me?" asked Buffy, as she started getting dressed.

"I don't think so.  I don't care much for violence," answered Clem.

"Oh," said Buffy as she sat on the edge of the bed.  "But, I _have _to go."

"I understand," said Clem.  "I wouldn't want to interfere."

"Go to my house and wait for me?" asked Buffy as she pulled her key out of her pocket and held it out to him.

Clem stared at the key for a moment, obviously thinking it over.  "I dunno.  What about Dawn?" he asked.

"She is spending the night at Tara's tonight, so it will be just you and me," Buffy told him.  This seemed to help him make his decision.  He smiled and took the key from her.  "Great!" said Buffy just before she bent down to kiss him. 

"When will see you again?" Clem wanted to know.

"I don't know.  Not long," said Buffy.  "I am just going to make a quick sweep of the hotspots, and then I will head home, okay?"

"Okay.  See you soon, then," said Clem as he watched Buffy leave.

"What time is it?" asked Anya.  She and Willow had not gotten much of the inventory done while they were in the basement.  They had each been too preoccupied by the other to pay much attention to the work that they had said they would be doing.

"I have no idea," said Willow as she pulled Anya closer.  "Does it matter?"

"I don't know," Anya said.  "I just have the feeling that I am supposed to be somewhere else right now, but I can't think of where that would be."

"You mean," pouted Willow, "you would rather be somewhere else?"

"Oh!" cried Anya, realizing how her words had sounded to Willow.  "Of course not.  I just…  I can't explain it, but…  I have the feeling that I am supposed to be somewhere else right now, and I can't explain why."

"You know what?" asked Willow.  Then, without giving Anya time to say anything, she continued: "Now that you mention it, I have the same feeling.  How odd.  What do you think it means?"  She turned then to look at Anya, only to discover that Anya was staring at her.

"I don't know," said Anya as she wrapped her arms around Willow once more.  "And I really don't care."

"Me, neither," replied Willow as she and Anya turned their attention back to the activities that had been taking place in the basement for most of the day.

"That was…  Different," declared Giles.

"Is that all you can say?" asked Spike as he propped himself up on his elbow beside Giles.  He reached out, lightly touching Giles's cheek, and lovingly caressed the man's face.

"Mmm…" moaned Giles.  He turned to face Spike, saying,  "I have to admit that I have never experienced anything like that before.  It was…  I don't have the words."

"Thank you," said Spike, smiling.  "And to think, this afternoon, I was upset because I caught Buffy and Clem in my crypt.""Caught them?" asked Giles, confused.  "What would the two of them be doing in your crypt?"

"Oh, something very similar to what just happened between the two of us," explained Spike.

"Really?"

"Yeah," said Spike, chuckling a little.  "I couldn't believe it when I first saw it."

"Well," began Giles, "it is good that she has found someone."

"Yeah," sighed Spike.  "I hope the two of them are as happy together as we are."

"How could they be?" asked Giles as he grabbed Spike's elbow and rolled over on top of him.

Dawn sat on the edge of her bed, staring at book in her lap.  She read the spell over and over again, and couldn't understand what had gone wrong.  As far as she could tell, it should have worked just as she had planned.  She had no idea what had gone so terribly wrong.  Finally, she sighed and closed the book.  She set it on the bed, stood up, stretched, and then headed downstairs.  She was halfway down the stairs when she heard noises coming from the kitchen.

"Hello," she said as she walked into the kitchen.  Clem, who had been going through the refrigerator, jumped.  All of the items he had in his hands – bread, lunchmeat, tomatoes, and condiments – went flying into the air.  As they fell, Dawn's eyes widened.  She was certain there would be a disgusting mess to be cleaned up, but somehow, Clem managed to catch everything.

"Uh," he said as he stared at her.  "Buffy told me to come over.  She said you weren't here."

"Yeah.  I was supposed to be staying at Tara's tonight, but I wasn't feeling well, so she and Xander brought me home," she explained as she walked to the table.  She pulled out a chair and sat down, gesturing for Clem to bring the food over.

"Oh, yeah," said Clem as he looked down at the things he held in his hands.  "I worked up quite an appetite today.  I hope it's okay that I was just helping myself."

"Sure," said Dawn.  "You're cool.  We don't mind if you come around from time to time."

"Thanks," said Clem.  He put the things he was carrying on the table, and then started opening packages.  Dawn helped him, and soon, everything had been opened and they were ready to make their sandwiches.  Dawn stood up, walked over to the counter beside the sink, opened a drawer and pulled out a couple of knives.  She returned to the table, offering Clem a knife.  He smiled as he took it from her, but said nothing.  Before they were finished making their sandwiches, the front door opened, and Buffy entered the house.

"Ready for some more?" she asked as she walked into the kitchen, pulling her shirt over her head.  Then, standing in the doorway topless, she looked around the kitchen. When she saw Dawn, she jumped, and her hands flew up to cover her chest.  "Dawn!" she exclaimed.  "I didn't think you would be here."

"Obviously," said Dawn.  "What is going on?"

"Buffy and I," said Clem as Dawn turned to face him, "are in love."   Dawn's jaw dropped and she turned to face Buffy, who was smiling broadly and nodding.

"He is absolutely _amazing_!" Buffy said.

"Whoa!" cried Dawn as she stood up quickly.  "That is a lot more information than I needed!"

"What?" asked Buffy.  "You really should get used to having him around.  Once we are married, he—"

"_What?_" exclaimed Dawn, interrupting Buffy.  Buffy, clearly not understanding what Dawn was getting so upset over, looked at Clem, as if to ask him if he knew what was wrong.

"Buffy and I want to get married," said Clem, as if that was something that came up in everyday conversation.

"I…  I have to go," said Dawn as she pushed her way past Buffy and ran to the front door.

"Dawn," cried Buffy.  "Wait!"  But it was too late.  Dawn was gone.  She stared at the front door for a moment and then shrugged.  She turned back to Clem.  "What should we do now?"

"I don't know," admitted Clem.  "Perhaps we should go after her?"

"Yeah.  I suppose we should," said Buffy.

"Then again," said Clem, "we could just go to your room.  She's a big girl, after all.  I'm sure she can take care of herself."

"I'm sure she can," Buffy said quickly as she grabbed Clem by the hand and pulled him to his feet.  "And, she obviously doesn't want us to be with her right now, or she would have stayed."

"Great work," Dawn told herself as she made her way through the darkened streets of Sunnydale.  "What am I supposed to do now?"  She wandered aimlessly through the town.  When she finally stopped and looked around, she was surprised to discover that she was on campus, not far from Tara's dorm.  That gave her an idea, and she went in search of someone who could help her find the Wiccan group to which Willow and Tara used to belong.

As she walked across the campus, she thought about what could have gone wrong with her spell.  Since she had gotten the book from the restricted section of The Magic Box, she was sure that the spell itself was not the problem.  That meant that she either pronounced something wrong when saying the incantation, or that there was a problem with the ingredients. 

"Dawn?" asked a woman as she stepped from the shadows to face the girl.  Dawn gasped when she first heard her name, but then sighed in relief when she recognized the person in front of her.

"Amy," said Dawn cheerily.  "Are you attending classes here now?"

"No," chuckled Amy.  "I am part of the Wiccan group on campus.  They are helping me put things into perspective.  I am doing so much better now."

"Really?" queried Dawn.  "Better at what?"

"Didn't Willow tell you?" Amy wanted to know.

"Tell me what?  She said you weren't going to be able to come around again, but she never said why," explained Dawn.

"She's a better friend than I thought," said Amy.  She sighed again.  "I was having a very difficult time adjusting to being human again, and I needed some help, with life in general and with my magic specifically.  The group here has been so helpful."

"I am glad that you are adjusting.  I can't imagine what it must be like for you," Dawn told her.

"Yeah.  So, what are you doing here on campus?" asked Amy.

"I," stammered Dawn.  "I am looking for someone to help me fix a spell.  Do you think you could help me?"

"I don't know, Dawn.  I am not sure Buffy and Willow would like that," Amy replied.

"Well, they wouldn't actually have to know, would they?  I mean, the spell has already been cast, but something went wrong.  That is why I need to fix it," Dawn said.

"Hmm," considered Amy.  "I suppose it couldn't hurt to at least see what happened.  If I can help, without them knowing, then I will.  If not, then maybe I can recommend someone who can help you."

"Thanks!" exclaimed Dawn.  "What do we need to do first?"

"First, I need to know what spell was cast, and why," began Amy.  "Then, I will need to know what went wrong.  Only then will I be able to determine what can be done to fix things."

"I thought you said you followed this spell," said Amy.

"I did," cried Dawn.

"Then, what are you doing with these things?" asked Amy.  She held up a couple of the things that Dawn had gotten from The Magic Box.

"That's what the spell called for," Dawn told her.

"No," corrected Amy.  "The spell calls for thyme and a dogwood branch.  What you have here is hemlock and…  I don't even know what kind of wood this is."

"But, I got them from the magic store!" complained Dawn.

"Well, I don't know what they are trying to do in that shop, but they sold you the wrong things," said Amy.

"Well," began Dawn.  "They didn't exactly sell these things to me."

"I see.  So, how did the mix up occur?" demanded Amy.  "Did they not have things marked?"

"Of course they had things marked!" screamed Dawn.  Then, after calming herself, she continued.  "I went in and offered to help.  Xander said he needed help putting things away, and… Oh, my God!  That's it!  I bet Xander is the one who mixed things up!  He was supposed to return the things that hadn't been sold to their proper places, and I bet he didn't get all of them in the right places!"

"Well, that would definitely explain why the spell didn't work," declared Amy.  "You used the wrong ingredients.  Now, we have to figure out what to do to fix it."  She leafed through the book.  Then, she opened it to the back and scanned the index.

"What's wrong?" asked Dawn.

"N-nothing," declared Amy, afraid to tell Dawn that she didn't know how to fix things.  She scanned the index again.  "Aha!"

"Can you fix it?" Dawn wanted to know.

"In a way.  But it is very tricky," Amy said.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we can reverse the spell, but it won't change what happened because of the spell.  Everyone will remember everything," Amy told her.

"But, that won't work!  That will just make things worse!" cried Dawn.

"Let me check…" Amy said as she flipped through the book again.  "Okay, here's a spell that will make them all think it was just a dream.  Will that work?"

"I don't know.  What if they start talking to each other about the dreams?  How could it be explained that they all had the same dream?" demanded Dawn."Look, I am just giving you some options here," Amy snapped.  "If you don't want my help, you are free to try to figure this out on your own!"

"I'm sorry" apologized Dawn.  "I guess it will work.  It pretty much has to, right?"

"I think it is your only option right now.  Okay.  First, we have to reverse the original spell, and _then_ we can work on the dream spell.  Looks like we shouldn't need any new ingredients.  Here we go," said Amy.

"Ech!" cried Buffy as she sat up in bed.  She couldn't believe that she had dreamed about being in love with Clem.  One thing was certain, she wouldn't be telling anyone about _that_ dream!  She got up and went to the bathroom.  She came back to her room and made a quick phone call, then went about her morning routine.  After showering and getting dressed, she went down to the kitchen.  Dawn and Willow were quietly eating their breakfasts.

"What's up, guys?" asked Buffy as she entered the room.

"Nothing much," said Dawn.  Willow just turned red, grabbed her bowl of cereal, and left the room.  Buffy raised an eyebrow at Dawn, who just shrugged.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Dawn asked.

"I have to go to work," sighed Buffy.  "Another wonderful day at the Doublemeat Palace."  She didn't want to tell Dawn that she had called Tara and planned to meet with her later.  If she did, then Dawn would start asking questions, and Buffy had no idea how to answer them.  "Anyway, I hope you manage to keep yourself entertained today."

"I think I can manage," Dawn replied.

"Double meat is double sweet," said Buffy as she handed a bag of food to a customer.

"Thank you," replied the customer.  As the customer turned to leave, Gina gave Buffy a look. 

"Just something I'm trying," Buffy told her in a defensive tone.  She turned back to the counter and saw Tara standing there.

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Tara said.

"Oh, time has no meaning here.  Gina, I'm taking a break," declared Buffy as she took off her hat and moved away from the counter.  Tara gave Gina an awkward smile before she turned and followed Buffy.

"I have this sudden urge to dedicate my productive cooperation," Tara told Buffy after they had moved to the employee's lounge.

"Well, if you close your eyes and repeatedly smash yourself in the head with frozen meat, it'll go away," said Buffy as she sat beside Tara. "Eventually. I'm hoping." Buffy nervously rubbed her wrists. After a moment, she adds: "Thanks for coming by."

"Is it bad?" asked Tara, obviously worried.

"I was sort of hoping you could tell me," Buffy told her.

"I knew this was gonna happen," replied Tara. "What did Willow do now? Did she ... she hurt anyone?"

"Wha... uh, no, no, um... Ta-Tara, this isn't about Willow," Buffy confessed.

"I-I thought that's why you didn't want to meet at the house," Tara told her.

"Uh, sorry, it's, um," stammered Buffy.  "Willow's fine, uh, she, she's been doing really well. You'd be proud of her.""Good, that's ... that's good, declared Tara.  Then, she asked: "So, so what do you want to talk about?"

"I-it's Spike," said Buffy as she continued to rub her wrists. Tara gave Buffy a confused look.  "He can hurt me," Buffy clarified.  She looked down and realized she was rubbing her wrists.  She quickly moved her hands under the table.  "Without his head exploding," she concluded.

"Oh my god!" exclaimed Tara.  "Hi-his chip stopped working?"

"No, it still works. Just not on me," Buffy told her. Then, nervously, she added, "I-I need to know about the spell. The one that ... brought me back. I, I'd ask Willow, but..."

"You think it's you," said Tara, finally understanding what Buffy was talking about.

"I don't know," said Buffy.  "I feel ... different. There are things..."  She stopped, seemingly on the verge of a confession.  Tara stared at her, waiting, but Buffy couldn't tell her about Spike.  Instead, she said: "I-I think ... maybe ... I came back wrong.""No, Buffy, that's n-not ... no. You didn't," declared Tara.

"Can you check out the spell? Just see if there's something that ... Could you just check? Please?" Buffy begged.


End file.
